BKLYNgal87

YES!! Thank you for posting. History will vindicate the low carb diet, I firmly believe that. Ketosis is key to substantial weight loss. What this article alludes to but doesn't explicitly get into is just how corrupt our scientific community can be, and government institutions in particular (FDA, NIH). Food industry, the grain industry especially, wields such enormous power to the detriment of the population.

BMI of 35 is categorized as morbidly obese, and I think surgery is a solid option if it's the right choice for you personally. Of course you have "business" to utilize whatever options are out there to lose weight and get healthier. There are lots of folks who get this surgery with a BMI of less than 40. Some insurance companies will cover VSG if you are a 35 BMI or higher with a co-morbidity. Do you have diabetes or sleep apnea? What pre-ops need to understand most of all is VSG is a tool. It can be a very important tool, but it's no magic cure. The sleeve helps me eat a lot less at once, but it doesn't do much to stop me from grazing/snacking all day. I need to stop me from snacking. So you still have to exercise great self-control over your eating especially after a few months post-op. You also need to exercise as much as your body can handle. It gets harder the further out you get. But I lost 72 lbs in about 6 months. Could I have done that without surgery? I highly doubt it. Wishing you the best of luck, whatever you decide.

I still cook on the weekends. You totally can too! Just choose Protein dense recipes that taste really good. I plan out my meals for the week and usually make 2-3 dishes over the weekend that I divide up into individual servings and put them in the fridge or freezer. I've found that planning is what keeps me from snacking. I'm sad to say I do still get hungry and crave trigger foods - I don't think this is something the sleeve can eliminate. They did stomach surgery, not brain surgery, and from what we understand about human physiology, both are involved in hunger and cravings. It's not as voracious as it used to be, and I don't seem to suffer from hypoglycemia as I used to pre-surgery, but self-control is absolutely essential for being successful in the long run.

Hmm interesting. I wonder why, after losing 72 lbs my smile lines have gotten deeper and more numerous. I'm waaaaay too young for Botox

Looking totally awesome lady!!

Lisa's Hope and Chrissy, Wish I had something more constructive to say than I'm so sorry to hear about your complications. What a horrible experience. I hope you find resolution soon. I'll keep both of you in my thoughts and prayers. Much love!

I think they are trying to be nice, rather aggressively it seems. Almost nobody said "you don't need it" to me before I got surgery. But now that the weight loss has slowed and I'm down 70 lbs people are saying "well you can stay as you are - you look great". NO - I'm still obese! BMI not even 30 yet! I still have a ways to go, so I just try and brush that commentary off because I won't be happy until I'm at goal. Don't despair - you're going to lose a bunch of weight and then people will look at you and say to themselves ohh, this was a good decision she made.

Sorry to be a downer but YES it does get harder down the line for just about everyone. But you're already sleeved, yes? So too late to take it back now. I am 5 months out and 70 lbs down. Could I have done that without the sleeve? I sincerely doubt it. I made the right choice for myself and I suspect you did too. During this "honeymoon" phase take advantage of the restriction, but also work on changing your eating habits. Not being able to eat too much in one sitting is half the battle, being able to abstain from eating smaller amounts all day is the other half, and for many, the much harder half. I fight every day to prevent myself from snacking. Thankfully I don't sit down at a meal and eat 1000 calories in a single sitting anymore. I am very grateful for that. The good news is that if you put the necessary effort and compliance into your diet and routine, you will reach your goal. The sleeve absolutely can help you do that, but it won't get you there for you. You CAN do this

Seriously, joining the forums was unwise. It's a recipe for internet warfare.

What a journey you've endured! Glad you have healed and were able to get the sleeve. It's proven to be a safer option, especially in the long run. As Butter said, stalls are normal. You can try switching the food and exercise up a bit, but mostly it's just being patient and trudging along and the scale will start moving down again! I only got a 3 month reprieve from the hunger postop. Now it's back, but not as unmanageable as before. Self-control plays a huge part in my daily life. Wishing you continued success!

You look AWESOME!! Great work, Zen!

For me it was an "AHA" moment. My sleep apnea explained so many things I had been struggling with over the years - forming and keeping my memories, fatigue durng the day, migraines, and a general inability to concentrate on tasks. My CPAP machine wasn't a cure all, but I have been able to alleviate many of the symptoms I suffered for years. Since losing 70 lbs my pressure has decreased, and I'm even on an autopap now. Hopefully soon I won't need it at all. Don't feel down about yourself. This is a treatable condition, and more than likely successful weightloss will eliminate it. Good luck and use your cpap!

Lol! Maybe in about -20 lbs.

An older gentleman who has known me for a few years said I now look like Hedy Lamarr. If only! Soon, soon.

You both look AMAZING!! Great work!

I lost 61.7% of my EW! Not bad for 5 months postop. Thanks, Doc!

6 weeks post op? How'd that cheese steak meat go down, lol? At 6 weeks I couldn't tolerate anything like that. Good for you. Of course stalls are normal. Weight loss, especially as you get further out, is a journey of fits and spurts. Changing up the diet and the exercise routine is the best you can do and I promise as long as you are sticking to your calorie goals the scale will move again. I cut out all the unnecessary Snacks and crap that slowly crept back up into my diet and am eating very high carb (85-100g a day). I have also been busting my butt at the gym every day. Finally the scale budged after 2 weeks from 191 to 189 this morning. Good luck!

People generally say things like "Wow you lost weight" or "Wow you look great". My general response is "Thanks ". If they dig for more details I just say, "you know the usual, eating less and exercising more." It's not like I'm lying. Wishing you a speedy recovery! Good luck on your journey!

My grandfather always shared this piece of advice and I've carried it with me throughout life: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. I have used compression bands because I have varicose and spider veins on my extremities. They didn't help one bit, for a condition they are generally thought to help with. Loose skin is mainly the product of weight loss + age + genetic factors. As Pdxman said, compression can only hold you in place, so to speak. My mother lost 50 lbs and her excess skin has lessened in slowly the three years since she lost the weight and started maintaining. Upper body muscle training is probably more likely to help than compression of any kind, but if all else fails, I'd save up for plastics.

Perhaps your surgeon thinks you'll start to get hungrier and eat more if you continue to drink calories. The point is liquid calories are the same as food calories, but one leaves you feeling less full as your stomach heals completely. I was off the shakes for about 3 months but just started going back to them because I am hopelessly stalled and trying to keep away from eating sweets.

Upper body fat tends to come off slower, but you will get there! I went from 44D to 40C!

The idea of you losing weight puts even more pressure on this lady to lose weight. She's no friend of yours - only thinking about herself and how those around her "fit" into her life. Pitch her to the curb, you'll be glad in the long run that you did.

The psychologist I saw asked me about my life, my family and friends, my previous diet history, and we discussed my mental health history at length. I have been in therapy for food addiction and other stuff on and off over the years. Ultimately she thought I was the perfect candidate for WLS. It helped that she is very pro-surgical intervention when diets alone fail.

Lol hello other brooklyn girl! Where are you getting sleeved? I am 5 months postop and would be happy to correspond.

Way to go! Keep up the great work